1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to displays in apparel, specifically to improvements in the display revealing portions of apparel hidden displays.
The present invention further relates to methods of construction for hidden displays in apparel.
The present invention further relates to methods of wearer-activated revelation of hidden displays in apparel.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved display revealing portion for apparel.
2. Description of Prior Art
A typical apparel display exhibits displays in a static state. The wearer shows a display to all who view it and lacks selective display control. Such displays consist of words alone or words and graphics intended to convey a message, image or combination of both. The message that the wearer wishes to convey in this type of apparel display is limited by the static nature of the display and its inability to target only specific individuals for viewing the display. Hidden displays provide the wearer with more audience selectivity for the display. Hidden displays are presently two-dimensional, visually obvious, clumsy to operate, and are labor intensive to manufacture. Apparel manufacturers are now interested in creating garments incorporating hidden displays.
A pocket construction in U.S. Pat. No. 257,350 issued to D. Lubin on May 2, 1882 is represented as a safety pocket and has no display purpose. It is awkward to operate and requires many components for manufacture.
Earlier apparel displays are limited to objects affixed to the outer part of a garment such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,610,263, issued to M. Cooper on Dec. 14, 1926 wherein no hidden image is mechanically displayed.
A hidden display component of a garment is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,307 issued to Donald K. Shingler on May 7, 1968 using inverted open pockets. It requires an obvious, overt action to activate the two-dimensional display thus preempting the element of surprise.
A pocket construction similar to Shingler's method presented in U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,108 issued to Richard W. Daniels on Nov. 3, 1970 for use as a safety pocket has no display properties and limited accessibility of the pocket for display purposes as well as the disadvantages cited above for Shingler's patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,688 issued to John C. Owens, Jan. 13, 1976 provides for a combination identification and storage display case for indicia. It uses flaps and panels to achieve the objectives as does Shingler's. This obvious display is two-dimensional.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,981 issued to David J. Sanchez on Dec. 8, 1987, for apparel hidden display using a flap pocket with a releasable gripping surface, requires obvious, overt action to activate the display. It uses the hook and loop method of opening the display for viewing with the accompanying deficiencies noted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,267 issued to Richard D. Walace on Aug. 18, 1998 which uses a series of exterior panels and flaps. This somewhat hidden apparel display requires an obvious, overt action to open the two-dimensional display as does the Shingler method. Wallace uses the hook and loop fastener method to open the display which, as he says, requires considerable force. This opening force can distort some fabrics thus negating the effect of the display. In addition, revealing the display by the hook and loop method of fastening creates a diverting sound. Manufacture of the device is complicated and labor intensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,233 issued to Andrew Hall on Feb. 12, 1991 creates a hidden display by use of a lanyard which is operated by another person. The display, featuring a sentence or phrase completion sequence, is obvious and requests a second person to operate it. A flap, which must be fastened and unfastened, is used for opening. The display is two-dimensional.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,888 issued to Howard E. Clark , Jan. 5, 1993 provides for a multiplicity of fabric strands creating a frayed effect through which displays may be partially revealed by wetting the fabrics. Given this limitation it appears that the garment so created is intended for some type of water sport. The positioning of the fabric strands precludes a full view of the display which is two-dimensional. Manufacture would be labor intensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,523 issued to Elizabeth M. Robinson, Nov. 8, 1994 declares a garment with a display, but only when the garment is fully opened. The opening mechanism is designed for a front, vertical opening garment. There is only one mode of opening the two-dimensional display and that is by parting the garment vertically.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,461 issued to Rita B. Wilmers on Jan. 10, 1995 uses the hook and loop exterior device to reveal the display as does the inventions of Wallace and Sanchez cited above with the same disadvantages. The object of the invention is to cover the display and to use the cover as a pocket.
A recent Disney catalog (The Disney Catalog, pp. 9, 55 and 58, 1998, P.O. Box 29144, Shawnee Mission, Kans. 66201-9144) attempts to simulate a hidden display. There is no revelation of a display in this apparel. The display relies on using a partial image over a pocket, or front and back images showing an animal head and tail respectively. It is apparent that a surprise effect is intended. The ad copy reads in part, " . . . cotton tees feature all-new `peek` art work on the front. Turn around and surprise! There's adorable `backward` peek art work on the back." (p. 9) It is doubtful that such apparel would surprise as the method has been in common use for some time.
It is evident that a search is underway by apparel manufacturers to create design effects which communicate, surprise and excite. It would be desirable to provide a hidden display for apparel in which the mechanism for operation is not obvious to the viewer, and in which the wearer can selectively and furtively control the visibility of the display, thereby enabling the wearer to choose the audience for the hidden display, activate it and startle viewers with elements of surprise and excitement.